Topline
During a eulogy at the funeral of Jordan Neely, who was choked to death on a New York City subway earlier this month, Rev. Al Sharpton denounced Daniel Penny and called for action on policies he said criminalize mental health and homelessness.
Rev. Al Sharpton eulogized Jordan Neely at his funeral on Friday.
Key Facts
Neely’s funeral began on Friday at 11 a.m. at the Mount Neboh Baptist Church in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, where hundreds reportedly gathered to mourn him, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D), Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado (D) and State Senator Robert Jackson (D).
Rev. Al Sharpton, a renowned civil rights activist who has spoken at the funerals of other murdered Black men, including George Floyd in June 2020 and Tyre Nichols in February 2023, delivered a eulogy for Neely, saying his life should be celebrated but “we should not ignore how he died.”
Sharpton argued Daniel Penny, who was recorded choking Neely to death in a four-minute video, did not act in self-defense because he came at Neely from behind, and lambasted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for calling Penny a “good Samaritan.”
He criticized police for releasing Penny immediately after he turned himself in, saying if it had been a Black man who killed a white man, “they would not have let that guy leave the precinct that night.”
Sharpton also said the policies and systems designed to help homeless and mentally ill people played a major role in Neely’s death, saying these people “don’t need criminalizing, they need help.”
Neely died May 1 after being choked by Daniel Penny, who is charged with second-degree manslaughter.
Key Background
On May 1, Penny placed Neely, 30, in a chokehold after police say Neely was acting in a “hostile and erratic manner” on a subway train. Neely worked as a Michael Jackson impersonator on the streets and subways of New York, and battled mental health struggles since his mother was murdered by her boyfriend in 2007—and laid to rest in the same church as Neely was on Friday. While his family has said he had “demons,” and a lengthy arrest record, they argue he never attacked anyone on May 1 and did not deserve to die. His death re-sparked debate across the country about racially-motivated murders. While some have called Penny a hero, critics were outraged Penny was initially released without being charged. “I want to know why they let him go after he killed an unarmed man,” Rev. Sharpton said during the funeral Friday. Penny has since been charged with second-degree manslaughter and was released on a $100,000 bond pending his trial, which is scheduled for late June.
Big Number
More than $2.5 million. That’s how much Penny, the 24-year-old, white Marine who’s charged with the second-degree murder of Neely, has raised through donations to go toward his legal defense, the Guardian reports. His financial support comes primarily from the right, with support from major conservative politicians like DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination and donated $10,000 to Penny. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe set up for Neely’s family by his aunt, Carolyn, has amassed just under $150,000.
Further Reading
Jordan Neely Is Mourned at Funeral in Harlem (New York Times)
Jordan Neely Killing: Daniel Penny Charged With Manslaughter, Released On Bond (Forbes)
Jordan Neely Killing: Daniel Penny Surrenders To Police Ahead Of Manslaughter Charges (Forbes)
Daniel Penny—Man Who Killed Jordan Neely On NYC Subway—‘Never Intended To Harm Him,’ Lawyers Say (Forbes)
Why Chokeholds—Used By Daniel Penny On Jordan Neely—Are Increasingly Banned By Police Departments (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/05/19/al-sharpton-rails-against-jordan-neelys-killer-in-funeral-eulogy/